This combines the original thread compiled by Rollo and Andrew Tas, the original Slams results from Brian Stewart, Rollo and Andrew Tas, and the enormous contribution of Ugarte who supplied the bulk of these results. Ugarte's original thread can be found at: 1956 Thread
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Temps dipped down to 40 F with 23 mph winds! Knode had 2 mps in the fianl at 5-4 but couldn't hold serve. Service was broken 13 times in the 31 game matc, including the game Shirley won to take the title. Knode's steady play garnered the first set on Fry errors. In the end though Fry's speed (fastest in women's tennis) overcame defense, as she hit overhead winners off lobs to overpower Dottie. Several hudred saw the final, wich entertained the crowd much more than the men's final.

The first Aussie ever in Brisbane and a disaster by all accounts. The center court was the wrong dimensions, player complaints were numerous, and controversy raged daily.

The first big upset of the 1956 women's singles in Brisbane was the thrashing which was inflicted upon title holder Beryl Penrose in the quarterfinals by local girl Daphne Seeney. Penrose was all at sea on the heavy court and found herself becalmed by the dropshots and placements of the awkward lefthander 2-6 1-6. Not that losing to Seeney was a disgrace, she toured with the overseas team, a runnerup at Wimbledon doubles. She eventually married South African Davis Cup player Trevor Fancutt, settled in Queensland and raise a whole family of tennis players.

Long defeated Muller, Carter defeated Loris Nichols and Hawton won over Lorraine Coghlan with unusual scoreline of 0-6 6-0 6-3 to reach the semis.

Hawton was then involved in another bizarre match, against Long in the semifinals. Hawton won the first 9 games, Long the next 9, and then the real tussle began. In the final set Long had match points at 5-4, but could not put Hawton away. Hawton led 7-6 but on a crucial point missed the line by inches with a backhand volley. The ghost of a chance quickly slipped away and Long was through 0-6 6-3 9-7.

Officials attempted to relegate the Carter-Seeney semifinal to an outside court to clear a backlog of matches, but the girls wouldn't have a bar of it. A decade or so before the modern Women's Liberation Movement caught on, the girls stood up for their rights and insisted that the public was waiting for them to play on centre court where they had been scheduled, and that was where they would play. Furthermore they insisted that Long had the advantage of getting used to the centre court and it would be unfair to the winner of their match to be denied such an opportunity. Carter and Seeney refused to leave center court when the President of the Queensland LTA demanded they leave to make way for a men's match. The sight of Big Bill Edwards, 20 stone, trying to herd the two women to an outside court remains vivid for those who witnessed the comical stand-off. The overweight official waddled on court to the amusement of the gallery. The women delayed, refusing to go to an outside court. When finally shooed off, the two ladies barricaded themselves in the locker room, in effect daring the officials to default them.

Finally the ladies were allowed to finish their match the next day-- on center court.

In Seeney's case it was a matter of winning the battle and losing the war. Halfway through the 2nd set, just when she seemed she was getting into the match, she dislocated her right knee. She insisted on continuing with it heavily strapped and even succeeded in winning a few games before Carter finished off the match 6-3 7-5.

Despite losing to Long in the semifinals in the last two Australian titles, Carter was optimistic of a positive outcome as Brisbane turned on one of it's hottest and most humid days and she hoped that the 17 years difference between ages may be a telling factor. The longer the match went on the better Carter's chances become. Long won the first 6-3 but in the 2nd started to limp noticeably because of blisters. Carter won the 2nd and took a 5-3 lead in the third. Always dangerous when cornered, Long battled back to reach match point at 6-5. Carter remained calm, volleyed her way out of trouble and eventually prevailed 9-7 in the third.

It was discovered before finals day that the service box on center court was 25 inches short on one end. The players had complained throughout the event but organizers had refused to measure the court. Only after reporters snuck onto the court and measured it were Queensland officals pressured into admitting their error and fixing the court.

Even the finals produced controversy, as they were held on a Sunday. Churches protested, but the first Sunday finals went ahead.